Today's experiment and the results

[KJ3N]

Having followed this thread (http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?291382-Receiver-or-antenna) for the last few days, I decide to do the following:

Using only my IC-703 and 2 wire antennas (the 134ft. dipole and the 40m loop), I went on a "hunting spree" to see what was possible. I tuned around on several bands and tried to respond to several stations calling CQ. Total time spent in the shack was about 4.5 hours. Here are the results.

Total stations called = 28

Total stations who responded and contact was completed = 19

Success rate = 67.85%


Breakdown:

One QSO on 10m = HI7MC

3 QSOs on 12m = EA1GIB, CO8LY, and HR2J

5 QSOs on 15m = S52V, MI0SAI, KB5YN, 7X4AN, and D2CQ

4 QSOs on 17m = LA4UOA, CT1DQV, OK2JS, HI3/W1JNZ

6 QSOs on 20m = ER4DX, YU7ZEX, SB6A, 9A7R, JW/F8DVD, MM0CXZ


Most signal reports received were between 55 and 59. A couple were about 53.

Now, given what I was using, what do you think was more important? The radio, or the antenna? :whistle:

[NQ6U]

The antenna. It's always the antenna. You can work the world with a marginal rig if you have a good antenna. Conversely, if you have a crappy antenna, you can have the best rig available and you ain't gonna get jack.

[KG4CGC]

and you ain't gonna get jack. With the possible exception PSK31. :)

[NQ6U]

With the possible exception PSK31. :)

Yeah, good point, which is why that's my favorite mode—I have a decent rig but a crappy less-than-stellar antenna.

[W3WN]

The antenna.

[WØTKX]

The antennas, duh. Your wire antennas are reasonably high in the air.

You didn't use your verticals at all, eh? Was that the point?

[KJ3N]

The antennas, duh. Your wire antennas are reasonably high in the air.

Well, the dipole is. The 40m loop is maybe 35 feet in the air.


You didn't use your verticals at all, eh? Was that the point?

Not really. While I could have used the R7, my experience is that it doesn't perform nearly as well as the wires simply because it's only a 1/4 WL on the bands it covers. The wires have gain lobes on the higher bands. Some of the lobes have upwards of 9 dB gain, with some very good, low take-off angles.

The only other verticals are designed for 75m and 160m and I wouldn't dream of using a 10 watt radio on either of those bands. Well, maybe I'd use 10 watts on 75m, just to annoy some folks. ;)

[N8YX]

The point is that you clogged up the "Bubba's Watering Hole Net" frequency just to work a bunch of furriners. :naughty:

[ki4itv]

Breakdown:

One QSO on 10m = HI7MC

3 QSOs on 12m = EA1GIB, CO8LY, and HR2J

5 QSOs on 15m = S52V, MI0SAI, KB5YN, 7X4AN, and D2CQ

4 QSOs on 17m = LA4UOA, CT1DQV, OK2JS, HI3/W1JNZ

6 QSOs on 20m = ER4DX, YU7ZEX, SB6A, 9A7R, JW/F8DVD, MM0CXZ





WDYHAH? ;):lol:

[KJ3N]

WDYHAH? ;):lol:

I don't, but it's not much of a challenge to work them. :-P

[W2NAP]

antenna hands down

[KJ3N]

antenna hands down

You bet your ass!

5M2TT 4/5/2011 23:11 UTC 3.790/3.795 59/58

One call, 100 watts. :cool2: :rock: :bbh: :giggity: